The kind of problems MobieG tends to are abuse, teen pregnancy, abortion, homosexuality, relationship problems, bullying, addiction, pornography, divorce, paternity, depression, STDs, low self-esteem, suicide, grief, dating guidance and even help with homework.
Crouse says she grew up in a happy home. "I had good caring parents. There was one flaw however, I was secretly sexually molested by my grandfather since I was 3 years old. He was a serial paedophile. They have ways to keep their victims quiet. It was a very traumatic and confusing time in my life. By the age of seven years I realised I had to stay out of his way at all costs. What I didn't know was that he just turned his attention to my younger siblings. He was never confronted about this. He molested young girls till the day he died. No adult ever took me for counselling or talked me through what happened. I had to deal with it on my own.
"I only got counselling to deal with the trauma of sexual abuse when I turned 30 years old. By then I was already married and the mother of a baby girl. The abuse I suffered hit me hard when I became a mother. It triggered compassion in me for young people in crisis, who have no one to turn to for help. I always dreamed of finding a way to give children a voice so that they can speak out easily and safely about what is happening to them."
She says MobieG is trying to fill that void; to combat the silence that often surrounds abuse. "We want to let clients know they are not alone. All facilitators on MobieG are experts in their own fields of expertise and are trained in text-based counselling. Our main focus is helping people between the ages of 10-35. We do refer about 30% of clients for more specialised help, for example to state clinics, hospitals, the SAPS and therapists."
To chat to a facilitator on MobieG
- Download Mxit on your cellphone (www.mxit.com)
- Go to Mxit Apps
- Search the MobieG app and add the app.
- Open the MobieG app and select the service you want: information/quizzes/chatline.
- MobieG is online from Monday-Thursday: 19:00-21:30; Sundays: 21:00-23:00
- Clients may stay anonymous when texting
- It is free
- MobieG is text-based
- It happens in real-time. You get an immediate response.
- They help anyone, regardless of age, race, gender or nationality. MobieG has no geographical borders, because it is internet based.
- Clients get help from counsellors in various fields of expertise: law, health, social, educational and psychological.
MobieG is dependent on donations/funding from private companies, churches and the government for survival. Many clients come from the very margins of society - they have no medical aids and low incomes. Most young people are totally dependent with no income at all. This is the type client that will never be attended to in a consulting room of any kind.
For more information visit www.mobieg.co.za.
